Vehicle-tongue supporter.



PATENTBD MAY 19, 1903.

w. J. GALKINS. VEHICLE TONGUE SUPPORTBR.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 51 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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gasses UNITED STATES Patented May 19, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER J. OALKINS, OF ROOKYFORD, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- THIRD TO ELMER OOMER, OF ROOKYFORD,--COLORADO.

VEHlCLE-TONG u E su PP'oR EaI SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 728,863, dated May 19, 1903.

Application filed June 4, 1902. Serial No. 110,20. (No model.}

ple, inexpensive, and efficient device capable of being readily applied to a horse and adapt-I ed to relieve the neck of the animal of the weight of the tongue and to enable the tongue to be supported by the withers of the animal.

The invention consists in the constructionand novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointe out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side eleva: tion of a tongue-support constructed in accordance with this invention and shown ap-' plied to a horse. 'Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the-device, illustrating its arrangement. with relation to the breast-strap. Fig. 3.is a.

' in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the straps 7 detail viewof the device.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding partsin all the figures of the drawings. a 1 designates the bodyportion of the tonguesupport, consisting of apieceof stout leather or other suitable material, tapered from the center to the ends and bowed longitudinally to conform to the configuration of the back of the animal at the withers. The body portion has astraight front edge when arranged as shown in Fig. 3, and its rear edge is curved to form the oppositely-tapered portions, and the said body portion is provided with cen-' tral longitudinal incisions 2 and 3,;located at the central portion ofthe tongue-'support'and adapted to permit the central portion of the body of the support to be arched transversely of it to conform to the configuration of the back of the animal. The body of the tonguesupport is braced by straps or bars 4:, of metal, located at opposite sides of the center and adapted to retain the central portion of the secured to its ends. toreceive the back-strap of a harness and support in its bowed or arched form, and these metal straps'or bars are curved and riveted or otherwise secured to the body of the support. The-body of the supportis provided with an interior lining 5, of '-'felt or other suitable material, to prevent 'it from chafing the withers of an animal; but it may be padded in any other suitable manner.

The body of the tongue-support is provided with a central buckle 6, and it has straps 7, The buckle is adapted the straps 7, which are designed to be connected with a breast-strap 8, have their upper terminals 9 split and forked or diverged, ,as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The forked portions of the straps 7 are stitchedor otherwise secured'to the end portions of the body,.adjacent tothe front and rear edges thereof. The

straps 7 are provided between their ends with buckleslO and have their lower or outer portions bent upon themselves to form loops 11, which pass through rings 12 of-hames 13 and which receive and support rings 14. The rings 14: are designed to be connected with the breast s'trap 8. In applying the device toan animal the body of the tongue-support is arranged in rear of the hames, as indicated are extended downward through the lower hams-rings and through the rings 14 and are then passed upward back through thehame-.

it is adapted to be readily applied t'o an animal, and that it is capable of effectively'relieving the neck of thesameof the weight of the tongue.

What I claim is' 1. A-device of the class described compris ing abody designed to bearranged in rear of a horse-collar and having inclined front edges to fit the rear edges of the latter and provided with central incisions forming an arched'portion adapted to conform to the withers of the horse, transverse braces connecting the cut portions of the body and adapted to retain the shape of the central portion, and straps depending from the ends of the body portion and adapted to be directly connected with a breast-strap, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a horse-collar, and a pair of hames provided with rings, of a tonguesupporting device comprising a body having downwardly-tapered side portions and provided with inclined front edges to fit the rear edges of the collar, said body being also provided with longitudinal cuts or incisions forming front and rear openings in order to downward from the sides of the body and passing through the rings of the hames, means for directly connecting the side straps with a tongue, and a similarly arranged buckle mounted upon the body at the top thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WALTER J. OALKIN S.

Witnesses:

F. Y. HAUCK, J. F. MCKELVEY. 

